Switch structure



Mar. 3, 1925. v

- E. M. T. RYDER swim! STRUCTURE Fi1e'd May 19, 1924 z y 2U}.

INVENTOR. BY W Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELY. M. T. RYDER, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

V SWITCH s'rnuc'runn.

To'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELY M. T. RYDER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of 'Westchester and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Structures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention more particularly relates to a simple and'efi'ective structure for holding down and back the heel of a switch tongue. My invention will best be understood by 'reference to the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated one form of my invention and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch structure embodying the vsame; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 1 but on a larger scale and with the cover of the box in which the device for holding down the switch is mounted, removed, and Fig. 3'is a vertical section taken along the plane of the line 3 3 v of Fig. 2. I 7

Like reference characters indicate like parts'throughout the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, ,10Xis a frame preferably in the form of a steel castingrand provided at one end with branches rail being also connected to the opposite end of the frame. The frame 10 is preferably entirely of manganese or suitable alloy, steel or else is provided with a plate or casting 12 of such'material placed in a longitudinally extending recessll. A layer of spelter' or other suitable material 12 (Fig; '3) is preferably interposed between the lower sideo the manganese plate and the frame. 'The manganese steel castlng 1s, 1n turn, provided with a recess 13 in which is received the switch tongue 14, which may be either a casting or'a forging, one end of the recess, in the form illustrated, being circular as at 13 ,950 receive the circular end 14 of the Application fi-led May 19,

10* and 10 to which a main trackrail and a branch rail are connected,- the main track 192g. SerialN0. 7 14,213.

course, be'obvious that my invention is not limitedthereto asit is also applicable to heels of other shapes. It is also obvious that my'invention is applicable to a switch tongue wherein the lower side of the heel is on the same plane as the balance of the underside of the tongue, or where the lower side of the heel is on a plane different from the underside of thebalance ofthe tongue.

The heel of the switch tongue is held to its seat and at the same time held firmly against the side of the manganese plate by a baror beam 15 occupying an inclined position, as indicated in Fig. 3, one end of the bar being seated in a recess 16 in. the frame, while the opposite end thereof is received in a recess 17 formed in the lower side of the heel of the switch tongue and which, in accordance with my invention, is formed with straight sides; that is to say, any plane including the axisv of said recess would intersect the wall surrounding the same in a straight line. As illustrated in the drawings, the point of application of the force 'from the bar 15 to the heel of the switch is preferably at or near the'center of revol'ution in order to keep wear at a minimum;

The recess may, accordingly, be conveniently formed by a simple machining operation after the tongue is made. If however the tongue is formed of manganese steel or other material not readily machinable then the recess may be formed in the casting and may be of any desired shape. The end of the bar 15, which is received in the recess 17, is preferably provided on its lower side with a laterally extending'lug 18 which engages f the lower wall'of the'recess 17 at the inner endlthereof. The end of the bar 15, which is received inthe recess in the switch tongue, is forced downwardly and laterally by a wedge member 19 provided with a shank 20, one face of the wedge engaging an inter- 'mediate portion of the bar 15 and the other face of ewedge engaging a portion of the frame 10'or the casting 12 as the case may be, the engaging portion of which is preferably bevelled, as at 21. The wedge 19 is forced to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, by a coil spring 22, one end of which surrounds the shank 20 of the wedge 19 and is seated against the wedge, the opposite end of this spring being seated against a block 23 haying a shank 2st, the block being received in a recess 25 formed in the frame, a suitable number of shims or plates 26 being interposed between the inner end of the block 23 and the end wall of the recess 25. It will be understood that by varying the number of shims 25, the force exerted by the spring 22 may be varied, and, accordingly, the load applied at the intermediate portion of the bar 15. The parts for forcing down and back the heel of the switch are preferably housed in a box 27, preferably formed 1ntegral with the frame and which is closed by a removable cover 28 and which with the contained mechanism may be located on the side of the tongue shown or on the opposite side.

It will be apparent that in the switch structure embodying my invention, the heel of the switch is held down on the manganese plate or frame in which it is mounted, and at the same time the lateral force exerted by the bar 15 thrusts the heel of the switch tongue against the plate and prevents any opening between the two which is important in preventing wear of the tongue and casting and the accumulation of dirt between the two.

It will be evident that my invention obviates the necessity for lugs projecting from the switch tongue, which usually have hitherto been proposed for holding the switch tongue down. I/Vhen the switch tongue is formed of wrought metal, such lugs must be separately formed and attached, which not only adds tothe expense of the switch, but provides an unsatisfactory construction. By making the walls of the recess in the lower side of the heel of the switch tongue straight, that is by making the walzs so that a plane including the axis of the recess would intersect the walls in a straight line, a recess is provided which may readily in the case of a forged tongue be machined after the tongue is formed, thereby simplifying and cheapening the construction. In the case of a cast tongue the recess can be formed as an integral part of the casting. It will further be evident that the switch structure embodying my invention is made without the use of bolts and screw threads which, in practice, become worn and rusted under the severe service and climatic conditions to which they are subjected. The use of wrenches and special tools is also avoided as the installation and adjustment of the device can be made with the aid of a bar only.

I claim:

1. In a switch device, a pivoted switch tongue the heel of which is provided on its lower side with a recess adapted to receive a heel fastening device, all of the walls surrounding said recess longitudinally of the axis thereof being straight.

2. In a switch device, a pivoted switch tongue the heel of which is provided on its lower side and in line with the pivot of the tongue with a recess adapted to receive a heel fastening device, all of the walls surrounding said recess longitudinally of the axis thereof being straight.

3. In a switch device, a pivoted switch tongue the heel of which is provided on its lower side with a recess, a frame in which said tongue is mounted, an inclined bar one end of which is received in said recess and the opposite end of which engages a seat in said frame, and means for applying a load at an intermediate point of said bar whereby the heel of the switch is forced downwardly and laterally.

4. In a switch device, a pivoted switch tongue the heel of which is provided on its lower side with a recess inclined transversely of the switch, the walls surrounding said recess longitudinally thereof being straight.

5. In a switch device, a pivoted switch tongue the heel of which is provided on its 7 lower side with a recess, a frame in which said tongue is mounted, an inclined bar one end of which is received in said recess and the opposite end of which engages a seat in said frame, a wedge adapted to be received in engaging position between a part of the frame and an intermediate part of said bar, and means for forcing said wedge into said engaging position whereby the heel of the switch is simultaneously forced downwardly and laterally.

6. In a switch device, a pivoted switch tongue the heel of which is provided on its lower side with a recess, a frame in which said tongue is mounted, an inclined bar one end of which is received in said recess and the opposite end of which engages a seat in said frame, a wedge adapted to be received in engaging positionbetween a part of the frame and an intermediate part of said bar, and a spring for forcing said wedge into said engaging position whereby the heel of the switch is simultaneously forced downwardly and laterally.

7. In a switch device, a pivoted switch tongue the heel of which is provided onits lower side and in line with the pivot of the tongue with a recess, a frame in which said tongueis mounted, an inclined bar one end of which is received in said recess and the opposite end of which engages a seat in said frame, a wedge adapted to be received in engaging position between a part of the frame-and an intermediate part of said bar, a spring for forcing said wedgeinto said engaging position whereby the heel of the switch is simultaneously forced downwardly and laterally, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring. r

8. In a switch device, a pivoted switch tongue the heel of which is provided on its lower side and in line with the. pivot of the tongue with a recess, a frame in which said tongue is mounted, an inclined bar one end of which is received in said recess and the opposite'end of which engages a seat in said 1 frame, and means for applying a load at an intermediate point of said bar whereby the heel of the switch is forced downwardly and laterally, the end of said bar received in said recess being provided on its lower 15 side with a lateral projection.

ELY M. T. RYDER. 

